


The Tale of The Belles

by adairposts



Category: Original Work
Genre: Animal Transformation, Aunt-Niece Relationship, Coma, Death, Execution, Fantasy, Fire, Flirting, Gen, Horror, Hotels, Implied Relationships, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Implied/Referenced Drug Addiction, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Injury, Magic, Male-Female Friendship, Military, Murder, Mythology References, Original Character(s), Prophets, References to Ancient Greek Religion & Lore, Revenge, Siblings, Victorian Attitudes, War, Witches
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-17
Updated: 2021-03-21
Packaged: 2021-03-26 08:08:36
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,117
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30102897
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/adairposts/pseuds/adairposts
Kudos: 1





	1. Chapter One

“Excuse me, miss, do you have a thicker rope?”

Asked the somewhat nervous middle-aged man  
Whose hands shook slightly with the thin rope he examined  
He was a sailor but has not been at sea for quite a while

“I’m afraid not sir, that’s all I have. May I ask why you need that specific type of rope?”

Said the young woman who eyed the man from behind her spectacles  
A wanderer from another land in a caravan wagon  
Driven by a large golden horse, a gift from an old friend  
Who sold her wares from a makeshift booth made of sturdy wood

“Uh, I need it to hold up a heavy bookshelf.”

She nodded, “More like you need it to strangle someone.”

His brow began to sweat, “I-I beg your pardon?”

“Sir, there is a multitude of shops where you live that carry rope. Yet you decide to come to this near secluded area to buy it from a traveling merchant. Perhaps I jump too quick, but it seems to me that you are embarking on an unsavory mission and are covering your tracks.”

He looked down at the rope on top of the booth, “Are you going to fetch a bobby?”

“Whatever for? It’s your word against mine and I would lose. Plus, they cannot take action if nothing has occurred. Besides, I would like to offer an alternative…”

“…Alternative?”

She nodded, then reached down and placed a leather bag on top of the booth.  
Unclasped the lock and flipped the flap back, then held it up to show the man.

“Tell me, please, what do you see?”

It was hard to tell what was inside the bag.  
The sky was rather dark and rainy that day, which made things difficult.  
So, he reached his hand inside and pulled out a reddish-brown clump.

“It looks to be clay…”

“You’re right, but this is no ordinary clay. This sir is the very clay that was used to make man and the foolish Pandora. Though she sleeps down below, it still retains the power of Gaea.”

He looked up at her then,  
Of course, the sailor did not believe her.  
Though her words held no delusion, she spoke the truth.  
However, it was too bizarre to believe.  
Why could he not convince his brain to accept that then?

“What exactly are you offering, miss?”

“With this clay, I can create a woman for you. One that is beautiful and faithful and embodies all the qualities that you desire. She will be what you deem as perfection…”

“…What is the price for such a task?”

“Nothing major, I assure you! All I want is gold or jewels or something valuable as such.”

“My wife has a jewelry box…”

“Excellent! That will do nicely, sir. Come back here in a week. She will be ready by then.”

Then she shooed him away with a wave of her hand.  
He walked back inside his village.  
From the outskirts, which was surrounded by trees

His house was nearby,  
It rested in a corner next to another house.  
The man’s wife was not there.  
Where she was, he had no idea and did not care.

There was a time when he did,  
When he dropped his sailing days to settle down and marry her  
He soon found that it was a mistake and wanted a divorce.  
She would not give him one, so he decided to permanently end it.

In a week though, that will change…

Said week was tremendously difficult to endure  
When the day came to return to the booth,  
He went there at dawn and stood by the wagon till the merchant awoke.  
Three hours later, she came out and greeted him.

“Ah, good morning, sir! I knew you’d come early, so I had her prepared beforehand.”

Once out, she held out her hand and helped down a slender figure.  
She carried her by the arm and led her to stand in front of the sailor.  
“Well, what do you think, sir?”

His eyes were transfixed,  
She was indeed beautiful like the merchant promised.  
Obsidian hair and ocean blue eyes which sparkled with happiness  
Wearing a frilly dress, hat, and accessories in the rich finery of a lady  
A cross was around her neck and she held a bible.

“What is your name?”

She curtsied, “My name is Julia Belle.”

The slender woman took his arm, and the sailor handed the merchant the jewelry box.  
She opened the lid to see that it was filled with exquisite necklaces and brooches.

The merchant closed the lid and looked up at the pair, “You best be off then.”

With that, they left and returned to the village,  
They stared at each other as they walked.  
Until the sailor noticed that a crowd had formed near his house

Just then, his friend and neighbor shouted and grasped at him frantically.

“Frederick, come quick! Something terrible has happened!”

He grabbed his shoulders, “What is it? What happened?”

The sailor then pushed him away and moved through the crowd.  
Once he reached the sitting room  
A terrible sight befell him…  
His wife was high in the air.  
Swaying from the rafters  
From a rope around her neck


	2. Chapter Two

“So, how long are you going to be staying on?” Asked the jolly gentleman as he looked across the booth table at his companion. 

A tall and militaristic figure with a mustache  
That had to retire from that life  
When his left ankle was shattered by a lipstick bullet  
Now the man runs a hotel with a theater attached to it  
Famous for the service and for the can-can girls

“About a week or so, they’re some things I need to do before I go.” The woman answered then ate a spoonful of porridge. It was flavored with cinnamon, but it was tasteless to her.

The woman wasn’t hungry, but her friend insisted  
He nags her about everything  
A perpetual worrywart  
She was like that as well when he was in the service.

There was a commotion then and they looked,  
Over the right side of the booth to see a waiter fighting with a sailor  
Said sailor then approached the booth  
He was breathless and looked down at the woman with anger in his eyes.

“Would you mind scooting over, Henry? I’m about to deal with an unsatisfied customer.”

“Really? That might prove interesting…” he said, then scoots to the middle of the booth and the gorilla-sized man takes his spot while looking about nervously.

“Frederick Seaver, this is Henry Carlisle. Henry, this is Frederick.”

“How do you do?” greeted the gentleman with a slight bow of his head.

“How do you do, sir?” returned the sailor before he takes off his naval captain’s hat and places it on the table, then looks back at her.

“How do you know my na…”

“Well, Mister Seaver, what seems to be the problem? Is Julia not to your satisfaction?”

“…You told me that it would not cost me anything major.”

“And it hasn’t…”

“My wife is dead!” He shouted, which caused several patrons to look over at the booth and caused him to lower his head.

She sighed and said in a low tone, “It was bound to happen…”

“…What do you mean?”

“Your wife was going to hang herself in the years to come. I merely spend it up to now.”

“…Why?”

“A soul for a soul...”

“I-I don’t understand…”

“To create life, one must take the life of another. An unfortunate fundamental in creation.”

He rubs the bridge of his nose with his forefinger and nose, “I-I’m having a bit of trouble processing all this. How did you know that it was going to happen?”

“…I just do, sir.”

Before he could say another word, a newly acquainted voice called…

“Frederick! Frederick! Are you alright? What happened?” The young woman said in a breathless voice as she approached the sailor’s side and he slid out to grasp her hands.

“Something… unfortunate happened and we can’t return to the house for some time.”

“Oh…” she sadly said and looked down at the floor.

“Well, I don’t see how that’s a problem…” chimed Henry, “You two can stay here.”

“Thank you, bu…”

“That’s very kind of you, Mister Carlisle.” She said with a smile which the sailor tried to replicate, but he looked like he suffered from uncomfortable pain.

“Think nothing of it, my dear,” he said, then slides out of the booth with his walking stick on the ready and wraps an arm around the young woman’s shoulders.

“Now, let’s get you two a room…”

“Uh, two rooms, we’re not married.” the sailor interjected as he followed after the limped man who motioned them out of the theater.

“Like that has stopped anyone before,” he said more so towards the young woman who blushed slightly and covered up her little chuckle with her hand.

The woman watched the trio leave and looked down at the porridge  
She pushed the bowl away then slid out of the booth  
Leaving the theater through the opposite exit


	3. Chapter Three

The three stopped first to the hotel room that was destined for the young lady. Henry went to unlock the door and open it.

“Here’s your room, miss."

“Thank you, sir. You’re very kind,” said Julia with a smile as she took the key from his hand.

“All part of the job,” he cheerfully says and moves out of the way. The young woman enters the room and closes the door.

Henry stands beside Frederick and motions him to follow, “This way.”

“May I ask you something?” asked the sailor as they began to walk down the hallway.

“Sure, fire away!”

“What do you know about the merchant?”

“What, Juniper?” He shrugged, “Know quite a bit actually…”

“Really?”

He nodded, “She was predominantly raised by her aunt. Handsome woman and pretty posh but is a bit of a tartar. Also has a bit of a problem with the drink and a few other things.”

“She was married once, you know.”

“…To whom?”

He shrugged, “I don’t know. One day she took off her gloves and I saw a tan line on her ring finger. Then I asked her about it, and she didn’t want to talk about it, so I left it alone.”

“You didn’t notice it before?”

“Well, she always wears them, even when we’re knocking boots. The only reason she took them off was that they got mud on them.”

“Does Julia have any brothers or sisters?”

“Just a brother, Augustus, a seafaring lad and traveling artist. He’s down at the Orient right now, painting cherry blossoms and minkas. There was a trio of older sisters…”

“Were? What happened to them?”

“It’s a bit of a long story…” he warned and began the tale, “A childless couple came to the merchant one day to buy some wares. Just like you, she crafted them a trio of female babies.”

“The couple took them back to their village and named them: Janice, Febe, and Mara.”

“Now, the merchant left most of the parenting to them but, she thought of those three as her own. The couple named her their godparent. She would visit and come to their aid when trouble brewed. Life went along happily and carefree for them all for twenty years…”

“Then it all went wrong as it always does in these stories. The merchant fell into a coma, the couple died soon afterward, and the village deteriorated into a superstitious mess. People accused other people of being witches and were then executed by burning.”

“Janice, Febe, and Mara met the same fate as well.”

“Then three years later, the merchant awoke from her long slumber.”

Henry went silent then as they reached the destinated hotel room and he began to unlock it.

“Well, what happened after that?” asked Frederick.

“Oh, she traveled to the village to exact her revenge upon the people. Surrounding the village was a fort which she set ablaze except for the entrance. Those who escaped out the front were turned into minks, which her aunt rounded up and eventually made them into a coat.”

“Her aunt was there?”

“Oh, I forgot to mention that. Do forgive me. When the merchant fell into a coma. Her aunt cared for her then accompanied her to the village once she awoke.”

Henry opened the door, “I found this all out about a month after it happened.”

“…What did you think of it?”

“Well, I wasn’t shocked. Beings of magic and myth take revenge very seriously. There is no eye for an eye or tooth for a tooth. It’s your life for an eye and your family’s for a tooth.”


End file.
